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Wednesday, May 30, 2018

WHEN: Monday, June 4, at 7:30 p.m.WHERE: Bickford Theatre is located at 6 Normandy Heights Road in Morristown, NJ, and offers free parking and full accessibilityTICKETS: $18 in advance and $20 at the door with a special price of $17 for Morris Museum members only.Tickets may be purchased online atmorrismuseum.org/jazz-showcase/, by phone at (973) 971-3706, or in person at the Bickford Theatre Box Office. Box office hours for phone sales are Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Walk-up hours are Tuesday through Friday, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Neville Dickie, one of the greatest boogie-woogie and stride pianists to ever come out of Britain, and New Jersey’s own Midiri Brothers return to the Bickford Theatre at the Morris Museum for their annual concert. photo courtesy of Pat Dickie.

Since his “Back to Boogie” album became a hit in the 1970s, Neville Dickie has been performing all over the world and returns to the United States every year. A regular part of his tour has been the annual Bickford Theatre show with Paul and Joe Midiri, twin brothers who have been entertaining audiences for years with their eclectic blend of classic jazz.

Not only is Neville Dickie a world-renowned jazz pianist, he and his wife Pat also ran one of England’s most successful jazz clubs, The Sutton Jazz Club, for 27 years until finally retiring two years ago. When not touring, Dickie devotes his time to recording and enjoying life in the English countryside with their poodle Bertie.

Joe and Paul Midiri grew up in Runnemede, New Jersey where they played both jazz and classical music. With Joe on clarinet and Paul behind the drums, the twin brothers honed their skills playing in a swing band. Paul eventually turned to the vibes as his primary instrument and the two have become popular, acclaimed jazz musicians around the country. Joe Midiri cites several legendary musicians as his instrumental heroes including Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Ben Webster, and Paul Desmond. Not surprisingly, Paul’s inspirations including Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo. Billed as The Midiri Brothers, the two New Jerseyans headline at hot jazz festivals from coast to coast. Photo courtesy of Tom Salvas.

When Neville Dickie makes his annual pilgrimage to the States, he always invites Joe and Paul to perform with him and the brothers always look forward to the opportunity. “When we perform with Neville,” said Paul Midiri, “we always seem to push the boundaries of all types of classic jazz including trad, boogie-woogie, and swing. He is an amazing talent and we look forward to this opportunity to appear at the Bickford Theatre in Morristown. This annual date has become even more significant because we’re never sure if he will agree to leave his lovely wife Pat, their poodle Bertie, and their comfortable home in England to travel across the pond, but here he is again and we couldn’t be happier.”

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Quotation of the Week

"To me, a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug."—Helen Keller